New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Netherlands finished at the top of the medal tally with two gold medals after the end of morning session of Day 1 of the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships

Poland also bagged two medals including one gold and one bronze. China, Colombia, Japan, UAE also bagged one gold medal each.

Decorated Chinese para athlete Wen Xiaoyan added another accolade to her side after clinching a gold medal in the Women’s Long Jump T37 Final. She jumped 5.32m in her fifth attempt.

A total of seven medal events happened in the morning session on Day 1. Kenya Karasawa of Japan clinched the first gold for his country in this event by defeating last year’s Paralympics gold medal winner Yeltsin Jacques of Brazil. He finished the men’s 5000m T11 race with a timing of 15:23.38.

The highlight for the Indian contingent was the qualification of the runner Deepthi Jeevanji in the finals of the women’s 400m T20 event. She qualified for the medal round with the first position in the second heat. She can earn India its first medal of the high octane event on Day 1 when she will compete in the finals during the evening session.

In the women’s 100m T71 event, Thekra Alkaabi of the UAE secured the World Record and Asian Record with 19.89 mark.

The New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, held from September 27 to October 5, brings together more than 2,200 para-athletes from 104 countries at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Featuring 186 medal events, it is the largest Para-Athletics meet in Indian history and serves as a key qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics, showcasing India’s commitment to accessibility and sporting excellence.

–IANS

hs/